Two people drowned in the far south suburb of Richton Park over the weekend. Police say Debbie Hill, 28, and Daniel Ballenger, 24, drowned in Lake George in the Lakewood subdivision. Ballenger and Hill's families are heartbroken. "I tried to save him but it was too cold, so he just started sinking," said Laura Ballenger, Daniel's wife and Debbie's sister, through her sobs. She said very early Sunday morning, Ballenger and her husband noticed her sister had left her mother's Richton Park home. "We walk all the way down there, we noticed her jacket," Ballenger said. In the dark, they couldn't see Debbie. "I just scream her name and said 'Debbie,'" Ballenger recalled. And then she heard something from under the frozen surface of Lake George. "I could just hear small whimpers, like someone was fighting."  

Joshua Wichtner and Daniel Francis were sworn in as new Kankakee firefighters effective March 1, 2020. "These two firefighters come highly recommended and we are pleased to have them with our department," said Fire Chief, Damon Schuldt. Joshua Wichtner from Crescent City, Illinois has seven years of emergency medical services (EMS) experience and nine years serving in the Watseka Fire Department, Monee Fire Protection District and the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District. Wichtner's brother has been with the Kankakee Fire Department for four years. Wichtner holds certifications in basic operations firefighter, advance cardio life support (ACLS), pediatric advance life support (PALS), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and international trauma life support (ITLS).  

One person was hospitalized after a fire Wednesday in northwest suburban Arlington Heights. The fire started about 11:15 p.m. at a building in the first block of East Northwest Highway, Arlington Heights police said. One person was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. At least one other person was rescued from the building. The Red Cross was called to the scene to assist with any displacements, police said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The Arlington Heights Fire Department did not respond to a request for further details Thursday morning.  

Firefighters Local 313, the local union of firefighters in Morgantown, is dissatisfied with the proposed budget from City Manager Paul Brake because they said it puts the safety of citizens and firefighters at risk. The initially proposed budget would decrease the number of firefighters from 61-49, a reduction of 12 positions. City Manager Paul Brake explained that the city simply cannot afford to keep those 12 positions, which were added in 2017 as part of a Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant from the federal government. The grant runs for three years and ends in November 2020. During a city council meeting on Tuesday, March 3, the city offered to retain six of the 12 positions, however, that still doesn't sit well with the union, President Jayson Nicewarner said. "Six isn't good enough for us we want it to be zero we want to retain all 12 of those firefighting positions," Nicewarner said.  

With wires stuck to his head and a stuffed toy monkey in his arms, Brian McCoy heaved a deep breath as he settled into a reclining chair at South Metro Fire Rescue's headquarters in Centennial. He slipped on headphones, put up his feet and watched as a TV screen played scenes from under the sea: dolphins twirling, seaweed swirling, sharks prowling. Behind him, neurofeedback clinician and therapist Gabi Whitmer tracked his brain activity. When McCoy's brain calmed, the music in his headphones got louder, the image on the screen got bigger and the monkey vibrated — positive feedback that, over time, helps his brain relearn how to react to stimulation, which in turn helps relieve McCoy's symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma and burnout.  

VIDEO: The Webbers Falls Fire Station in eastern Oklahoma caught fire Wednesday, destroying one building and all the gear inside it. "Our department is now on the ground," Webbers Falls Fire Chief Shawn Smith said. "It was heartbreaking, this is our second home, we spend a lot of time down here." Smith and other volunteer firefighters were out of town attending training for severe weather when the fire was reported before 2 P.M. Wednesday afternoon. The department's tanker, pumper and rescue trucks were not inside the building that caught fire, but, 2 boats, 2 trucks used to fight grass fires and most of the equipment and gear the 16 volunteer firefighters use to keep them safe when fighting fires was destroyed. The state fire marshal will investigate what caused the fire.  

VIDEO: More than 40 years ago, the first woman went through Norfolk's fire academy. Pamela Ells-Johnson was just 25 years old and tells 13News Now that she was simply looking for a career when she applied. She ended up paving the way for women in Norfolk Fire-Rescue. Although back then, it was called Norfolk Fire Department. "I'm so proud of what I accomplished," she told 13News Now. "And when I tell people, they're like, 'You did what?'" The year was 1979 and Ells-Johnson's historic acceptance into the academy was broadcasted by this very TV station across Hampton Roads. Our archives don't even go back that far -- but Ells-Johnson shared her home video of the newscast about her. It was tough work, she recalled, having to carry a lot of equipment, wear the big, heavy clothes and constantly train. But she did it. She proved herself, passing the fire academy. Upon graduation, however, Ells-Johnson made the choice not to pursue the career.  

PHOTOS: Ever have a hard time making a turn on a tight Wollaston street packed with parked cars? Try doing it in an almost 60-foot-long fire truck. As Quincy's development boom continues, the fire department is preparing to put into service a new, $1.45 million tiller truck to help firefighters take tight turns and get closer to ever-taller buildings. The truck, with two drivers, one in the front and one in the back, has two chassis and can pivot in the first third of the rig, like a tractor trailer, to make it more nimble. "The primary reason for the truck is the city is getting built out, there's more cars, more congestion, smaller streets," said acting Fire Chief Joe Jackson. "This is like the Holy Grail of fire trucks. Chiefs across the state are jealous." The truck will be Ladder 2 in the Wollaston fire station on Beale Street. Having the tiller truck stationed in the middle of the city means it will see a lot of action, Jackson said.